The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

5198.0: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 3:15 PM

Abstract #43968

Self-care management program to increase physical activity in low-income ethnically diverse older women

Kathleen K. Craig, MPH, MSN, RN, CNS, School of Nursing, The University of Texas, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, 512-471-9089, kathycraig@mail.utexas.edu and Susan J. Grobe, PhD, FAAN, School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701.

The Self-Care Management Program to Increase Physical Activity in Low-Income Women is a community-based, peer-led intervention implemented in collaboration with several community partners: The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing Community Women's Wellness Center, Community of Color Network, Austin-Travis County Health Department Walk Texas, and El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission. It was developed to address the need for culturally and ethnically sensitive health promotion programs for older, overweight, inactive women. Collaboration with community partners was essential in all phases of the program, from peer leader and participant recruitment to dissemination. This quasi-experimental pilot study tested the effectiveness of the Program on increasing self-efficacy and self-care management knowledge and skills for increasing physical activity in 27 ethnically diverse women, assigned to experimental and wait-list control groups. Four two-hour sessions, offered once a week in the evening, were led by investigator-trained peer leaders who were encouraged to use a relaxed and interactive style of communication and to tailor the sessions to make them socially and culturally appropriate, as well as enjoyable. Baseline to 4-month post-intervention comparisons (self-efficacy and self-care management) indicate that the intervention is effective in changing self-care management behaviors. This program has been adopted by our community partners for use with other women's groups and is positioned to be replicated with larger numbers of participants, including Spanish-speaking women.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session participants will be able to

Keywords: Physical Activity, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Expanding Primary Care

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA